March 26, 2001 - BOSTON - He had just finished playing more minutes than any nongoalie, a total that was starting to approach his age before the final horn sounded. But Ray Bourque's workday wasn't quite over, it turned out.

After leading the Colorado Avalanche to a homecoming victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon, Bourque traded in his hockey helmet for a chef's hat.

"How do you like your steak, boys? Well done, medium or rare?"

Bourque went from honored guest at the FleetCenter to hosting more than a hundred guests at his Boxford, Mass., home Saturday night. Included were all of Bourque's Avalanche teammates, along with the team's equipment and training staff. No management or media allowed. This was a team thing.

And, as hockey tradition dictates, what happens privately among teammates stays among teammates. But this much is known: Everybody on the Avs considers themselves lucky to have been part of Bourque's return to the city he played in for nearly 21 years. Playing on the same team as the future Hall of Famer has been an experience for all Avalanche players; to sit in his home, eating steaks, having a couple of beers and telling stories into the night with him just adds a special page to the memory book.

"Ray is such a nice person, and we all appreciate him," said Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy, whose sterling play Saturday was largely responsible for making Bourque's return a winning one. "I had goose bumps for him at the beginning of the game and at the end. He did so much for the (Boston) organization. It was really special to have been a part of that game."

Sometimes, players' homecomings aren't always as envisioned. When Theo Fleury returned to Calgary for his first game back after being traded to the Avalanche in 1999, he was booed. Fleury was genuinely hurt by the reaction from the fans and had harsh words for them at the postgame news conference.

When Roy played his first game in Montreal as an opponent in 1997, the Canadiens did nothing to show their appreciation for him. When Roy first took to the ice, there was no video highlight package like the Bruins showed to honor Bourque. Instead, there was a picture of Canadiens goalie Jocelyn Thibault, and the applause from the fans was muted. It wasn't until this season, when the Canadiens presented Roy with a gift to commemorate his all-time victory record for goalies, that his former team showed any thanks.

But Bourque's return was a love in from start to finish. Sure, the Bruins didn't give him any breaks when the puck was dropped; Bourque and Bruins center Joe Thornton had a couple of run-ins, trading hard cross checks and even harder stares after battles for the puck. Jason Allison went around Bourque to score the Bruins' second goal, and for a while it seemed the Avs might let what seemed would be an easy victory slip away.

But, win or lose, Bruins fans were prepared to leave the FleetCenter happy. Happy to see Bourque again. If the Bruins fall short of the playoffs, as it appears, they immediately will turn their fulltime attention to the Avs and will root them on to win the Stanley Cup.

"It was such a fun day to be a part of, and I know Ray is going to appreciate it forever," said Avs veteran Dave Reid, who played with Bourque for 10 years in Boston. "This one will have a special place in our scrapbooks someday.

"You don't see that kind of thing much anymore in sports, with that kind of bond between the fans and a player. But Ray has never been just any player. He's special."

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